wessex tales-第47章

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there　is　nothing　the　matter　with　Mrs。　Newberry；　that　I　could　not
wake　her？'

'O　no；'　said　the　old　lady　hastily。　　'Nothing　at　all。'

Still　the　minister　was　not　satisfied。　　'Will　you　go　in　and　see？'　he
said。　　'I　should　be　much　more　at　ease。'

Mrs。　Simpkins　returned　up　the　staircase；　went　to　her　daughter's
room；　and　came　out　again　almost　instantly。　　'There　is　nothing　at　all
the　matter　with　Lizzy；'　she　said；　and　descended　again　to　attend　to
the　applicant；　who；　having　seen　the　light；　had　remained　quiet　during
this　interval。

Stockdale　went　into　his　room　and　lay　down　as　before。　　He　heard
Lizzy's　mother　open　the　front　door；　admit　the　girl；　and　then　the
murmured　discourse　of　both　as　they　went　to　the　store…cupboard　for
the　medicament　required。　　The　girl　departed；　the　door　was　fastened；
Mrs。　Simpkins　came　upstairs；　and　the　house　was　again　in　silence。
Still　the　minister　did　not　fall　asleep。　　He　could　not　get　rid　of　a
singular　suspicion；　which　was　all　the　more　harassing　in　being；　if
true；　the　most　unaccountable　thing　within　his　experience。　　That
Lizzy　Newberry　was　in　her　bedroom　when　he　made　such　a　clamour　at　the
door　he　could　not　possibly　convince　himself；　notwithstanding　that　he
had　heard　her　come　upstairs　at　the　usual　time；　go　into　her　chamber；
and　shut　herself　up　in　the　usual　way。　　Yet　all　reason　was　so　much
against　her　being　elsewhere；　that　he　was　constrained　to　go　back
again　to　the　unlikely　theory　of　a　heavy　sleep；　though　he　had　heard
neither　breath　nor　movement　during　a　shouting　and　knocking　loud
enough　to　rouse　the　Seven　Sleepers。

Before　coming　to　any　positive　conclusion　he　fell　asleep　himself；　and
did　not　awake　till　day。　　He　saw　nothing　of　Mrs。　Newberry　in　the
morning；　before　he　went　out　to　meet　the　rising　sun；　as　he　liked　to
do　when　the　weather　was　fine；　but　as　this　was　by　no　means　unusual；
he　took　no　notice　of　it。　　At　breakfast…time　he　knew　that　she　was　not
far　off　by　hearing　her　in　the　kitchen；　and　though　he　saw　nothing　of
her　person；　that　back　apartment　being　rigorously　closed　against　his
eyes；　she　seemed　to　be　talking；　ordering；　and　bustling　about　among
the　pots　and　skimmers　in　so　ordinary　a　manner；　that　there　was　no
reason　for　his　wasting　more　time　in　fruitless　surmise。

The　minister　suffered　from　these　distractions；　and　his　extemporized
sermons　were　not　improved　thereby。　　Already　he　often　said　Romans　for
Corinthians　in　the　pulpit；　and　gave　out　hymns　in　strange　cramped
metres；　that　hitherto　had　always　been　skipped；　because　the
congregation　could　not　raise　a　tune　to　fit　them。　　He　fully　resolved
that　as　soon　as　his　few　weeks　of　stay　approached　their　end　he　would
cut　the　matter　short；　and　commit　himself　by　proposing　a　definite
engagement；　repenting　at　leisure　if　necessary。

With　this　end　in　view；　he　suggested　to　her　on　the　evening　after　her
mysterious　sleep　that　they　should　take　a　walk　together　just　before
dark；　the　latter　part　of　the　proposition　being　introduced　that　they
might　return　home　unseen。　　She　consented　to　go；　and　away　they　went
over　a　stile；　to　a　shrouded　footpath　suited　for　the　occasion。　　But；
in　spite　of　attempts　on　both　sides；　they　were　unable　to　infuse　much
spirit　into　the　ramble。　　She　looked　rather　paler　than　usual；　and
sometimes　turned　her　head　away。

'Lizzy；'　said　Stockdale　reproachfully；　when　they　had　walked　in
silence　a　long　distance。

'Yes；'　said　she。

'You　yawnedmuch　my　company　is　to　you！'　　He　put　it　in　that　way；　but
he　was　really　wondering　whether　her　yawn　could　possibly　have　more　to
do　with　physical　weariness　from　the　night　before　than　mental
weariness　of　that　present　moment。　　Lizzy　apologized；　and　owned　that
she　was　rather　tired；　which　gave　him　an　opening　for　a　direct
question　on　the　point；　but　his　modesty　would　not　allow　him　to　put　it
to　her；　and　he　uncomfortably　resolved　to　wait。

The　month　of　February　passed　with　alternations　of　mud　and　frost；
rain　and　sleet；　east　winds　and　north…westerly　gales。　　The　hollow
places　in　the　ploughed　fields　showed　themselves　as　pools　of　water；
which　had　settled　there　from　the　higher　levels；　and　had　not　yet
found　time　to　soak　away。　　The　birds　began　to　get　lively；　and　a
single　thrush　came　just　before　sunset　each　evening；　and　sang
hopefully　on　the　large　elm…tree　which　stood　nearest　to　Mrs。
Newberry's　house。　　Cold　blasts　and　brittle　earth　had　given　place　to
an　oozing　dampness　more　unpleasant　in　itself　than　frost；　but　it
suggested　coming　spring；　and　its　unpleasantness　was　of　a　bearable
kind。

Stockdale　had　been　going　to　bring　about　a　practical　understanding
with　Lizzy　at　least　half…a…dozen　times；　but；　what　with　the　mystery
of　her　apparent　absence　on　the　night　of　the　neighbour's　call；　and
her　curious　way　of　lying　in　bed　at　unaccountable　times；　he　felt　a
check　within　him　whenever　he　wanted　to　speak　out。　　Thus　they　still
lived　on　as　indefinitely　affianced　lovers；　each　of　whom　hardly
acknowledged　the　other's　claim　to　the　name　of　chosen　one。　　Stockdale
persuaded　himself　that　his　hesitation　was　owing　to　the　postponement
of　the　ordained　minister's　arrival；　and　the　consequent　delay　in　his
own　departure；　which　did　away　with　all　necessity　for　haste　in　his
courtship；　but　perhaps　it　was　only　that　his　discretion　was
reasserting　itself；　and　telling　him　that　he　had　better　get　clearer
ideas　of　Lizzy　before　arranging　for　the　grand　contract　of　his　life
with　her。　　She；　on　her　part；　always　seemed　ready　to　be　urged　further
on　that　question　than　he　had　hitherto　attempted　to　go；　but　she　was
none　the　less　independent；　and　to　a　degree　which　would　have　kept
from　flagging　the　passion　of　a　far　more　mutable　man。

On　the　evening　of　the　first　of　March　he　went　casually　into　his
bedroom　about　dusk；　and　noticed　lying　on　a　chair　a　greatcoat；　hat；
and　breeches。　　Having　no　recollection　of　leaving　any　clothes　of　his
own　in　that　spot；　he　went　and　examined　them　as　well　as　he　could　in
the　twilight；　and　found　that　they　did　not　belong　to　him。　　He　paused
for　a　moment　to　consider　how　they　might　have　got　there。　　He　was　the
only　man　living　in　the　house；　and　yet　these　were　not　his　garments；
unless　he　had　made　a　mistake。　　No；　they　were　not　his。　　He　called　up
Martha　Sarah。

'How　did　these　things　come　in　my　room？'　he　said；　flinging　the
objectionable　articles　to　the　floor。

Martha　said　that　Mrs。　Newberry　had　given　them　to　her　to　brush；　and
that　she　had　brought　them　up　there　thinking　they　must　be　Mr。
Stockdale's；　as　there　was　no　other　gentleman　a…lodging　there。

'Of　course　you　did；'　said　Stockdale。　　'Now　take　them　down　to　your
mis'ess；　and　say　they　are　some　clothes　I　have　found　here　and　know
nothing　about。'

As　the　door　was　left　open　he　heard　the　conversation　downstairs。
'How　stupid！'　said　Mrs。　Newberry；　in　a　tone　of　confusion。　　'Why；
Marther　Sarer；　I　did　not　tell　you　to　take　'em　to　Mr。　Stockdale's
room？'

'I　thought　they　must　be　his　as　they　was　so　muddy；'　said　Martha
humbly。

'You　should　have　left　'em　on　the　clothes…horse；'　said　the　young
mistress　severely；　and　she　came　upstairs　with　the　garments　on　her
arm；　quickly　passed　Stockdale's　room；　and　threw　them　forcibly　into　a
closet　at　the　end　of　a　passage。　　With　this　the　incident　ended；　and
the　house　was　silent　again。

There　would　have　been　nothing　remarkable　in　finding　such　clothes　in
a　widow's　house　had　they　been　clean；　or　moth…eaten；　or　creased；　or
mouldy　from　long　lying　by；　but　that　they　should　be　splashed　with
recent　mud　bothered　Stockdale　a　good　deal。　　When　a　young　pastor　is
in　the　aspen　stage　of　attachment；　and　open　to　agitation　at　the
merest　trifles；　a　really　substantial　incongruity　of　this　complexion
is　a　disturbing　thing。　　However；　nothing　further　occurred　at　that
time；　but　he　became　watchful；　and　given　to　conjecture；　and　was
unable　to　forget　the　circumstance。

One　morning；　on　looking　from　his　window；　he　saw　Mrs。　Newberry
herself　brushing　the　tails　of　a　long　drab　greatcoat；　which；　if　he
mistook　not；　was　the　very　same　garment　as　the　one　that　had　adorned
the　chair　of　his　room。　　It　was　densely　splashed　up　to　the　hollow　of
the　back　with　neighbouring　Nether…Moynton　mud；　to　judge　by　its
colour；　the　spots　being　distinctly　visible　to　him　in　the　sunlight。
The　previous　day　or　two　having　been　wet；　the　inference　was
irresistible　that　th